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by William C. Moore - The Metropolitan
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| Francis
Ford Coppola, who directed such films as “The Godfather”
and “Apocalypse Now” speaks to the crowd after a screening
of his film “One From the Heart.” Afterwards he recieved
a Lifetime Achievement Award from Mayor Hickenlooper. |
Director Francis Ford Coppola came to Denver to receive The Mayor’s
Lifetime Achievement Award from Mayor Hickenlooper, the evening of
Oct. 12 as part of the Starz 26th International Film Festival.
The award was presented at the Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre following
the special screening of his 1982 film “One From the Heart,”
which will be re-released in theaters and on DVD this fall.
The film was originally pulled from theaters two weeks after its initial
release, because Coppola felt media and studio politics surrounding
the movie would ruin its reception.
“It’s a very minor release, it’s a film no one’s
seen, really,” Coppola said. “It died in such controversy
that when you see it you’ll say ‘what was the (big deal).’
It was clearly an experimental film; it was romantic, almost like
a musical, but, you know, as I’ve said “Apocalypse (Now)”
was very controversial before (“One From the Heart”) and
damned before it came out. “Apocalypse” went on to be
pretty successful, and then this came out and it was the same deal.
So I just yanked it, put it in the basement, and said forget about
it. I’ll bring it out in 20 years. So now it’s 20 years.”
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper stressed the importance of the Starz
Film Festival and bringing the film industry community to Denver.
“I think it’s a little bit like being an awkward teenager
who doesn’t know how to ask, doesn’t get dates partly
because he doesn’t ask,” Hickenlooper said.
“So having been an awkward teenager my goal is to go out there
and make sure producers and directors in Hollywood know that we’re
asking, that we’d love to have them produce films here. I think
the fact that Francis Ford Coppola came here is a big deal, it shows
that the Denver International Film Festival is coming of age.”
“I personally never cared for film festivals,” Coppola
said when asked about festivals and their role in the film making
process.
“When I started, when I was 16-17 years old, film was something
that was very much ours. We were the only ones who would go see those
films and we would talk about them. I didn’t know anyone who
wanted to make films, and today to see that all turned into such an
over blown mania, where industries are made and fortunes are made…to
me it’s not about the films anymore, compared to when I was
young, it’s about this enormous entertainment industry that
has grown up around it,” Coppola said.
“I can imagine thinking back to the days when it was our own
private little thing.”
“I feel like Mickey Mouse in Disney Land, so you know I’m
not really comfortable there, there’s so much about the locations
and the regions doing their other agendas…I’ve never entirely
bought it as a real thing. I preferred when we used to show the films
with our friends. It was less of a ‘good for the merchants good
for the city kind of thing,’” Coppola said.
Coppola referred to film festivals in general, were good for smaller
cities because it brought in money from sponsors and it was good for
the business of the local merchants. He expressed some reservation
though when it came to the intentions for putting on a film festival.
“They find some guy to give an award to, (so they will) show
up. My gut tells me it’s not about what it’s supposed
to be about. I think it’s more colored by the fact that I feel
uncomfortable at film festivals,” Coppola said.
For additional coverge of the Coppola event, go to www.metreport.com
for our
video on-demand news service.
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